MINUTES 
                                           
             STANDING SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, RURAL AFFAIRS 
                                AND COASTAL RESOURCES 
                                Monday, May 1, 2006 
                                     9:00 a.m. 
                           Capitol Extension, Room E1.016 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Standing Senate Subcommittee on  
         Agriculture and Coastal Resources was held on Monday, May 1,  
         2006, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.016, at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Craig Estes, Chairman           Senator Juan Hinojosa 
         Senator Mike Jackson 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted:   
          
         The Chair offered new subcommittee rules for consideration and  
         adoption.  Sen. Jackson moved that the new rules be adopted,  
         there being no objection, the rules were adopted. 
          
         The Chair laid out Interim Charge 2 for invited testimony and  
         recognized the Honorable Jerry Patterson, Commissioner, General  
         Land Office to give an overview of the Land Office's role in  
         coastal protection and the administration of the Coastal Erosion  
         Planning and Response Program (CEPRA). 
          
         Bruce A. Moulton, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,  
         testified about the coordination of gulf states in protecting  
         the Gulf of Mexico. 
          
         Dr. Larry McKinney, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,  
         testified on the importance of coastal resources to the state  
         and how coastal erosion impacts both facilities and wildlife.   
         Dr. McKinney provided examples of projects Parks and Wildlife  
         has implemented to protect coastal areas and remediate damage.   
         He noted the importance of freshwater inflows for the  
         nourishment of coastal habitat. 
          
         The Chair then called upon Mr. Steve McCraw, Texas' Director of  
         Homeland Security, to give an overview on how the state responds  
         to disease outbreaks and natural disasters. 
                    
         The Chair then laid out Interim Charge 1 for invited testimony  
  
         and recognized Davis Kostroun, Texas Department of Agriculture,  
         and Dr. Bob Hillman, the Executive Director of the Texas Animal  
         Health Commission, to speak on their agencies' role in combating  
         intentional and unintentional harm against livestock. 
          
         Next, the Chair called on Robert D. Sowards and Dr. Linda Gual,  
         Texas Department of State Health Services, to discuss the role  
         of DSHS in preventing disease in food supplies and the tracking  
         and containment of illness if an outbreak occurs. 
          
         The Chair then discussed proposed scheduling of hearings for the  
         interim. 
          
         There being no further business, at 11:00 a.m. the Chair moved  
         that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the  
         chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         _______________________________ 
         Senator Craig Estes, Chair 
          
         _______________________________ 
         Kingsbery Otto, Clerk